Search Results for "Direct Hit"

Hey all you punks, here are my top ten albums from this past year. I’m new on the block here at Dying Scene and I’m sure this list is going to make you flustered, and wonder where [insert band name here] is on my list. Regardless, here is some great music that helped me through some tough transitions out of college, the loss of a close friend, and into my new life: you can find it below.

Splits are an underrated release. Too often they get lumped in as inessential marketing tools, rather than legitimate installments in two band’s sagas. They’re overshadowed by full-lengths, but make no mistake, a good split has the potential to go down as a classic. Think of the iconic Faith/Void release from Dischord, or all of those amazing BYO Records releases (especially the Leatherface/ Hot Water Music one)– there’s a rich history in regards to the punk rock split and it offers a unique experience. This is the place where bands can try new things and experiment, and maybe that’s just because of the nature of the split, but the truth is: sometimes it’s easiest to be weird when you think no one’s looking.

Human Movement is split between pop punk darlings Direct Hit! and nouveau-skate animals Pears. Their common language is hardcore and choruses– the former that encroaches on Direct Hit!’s sugary concept albums, and the latter that punctuates Zach Quinn’s machine-gun bursts of syllables. Together, they bring together both and play off each others strengths, making Human Movement one of those rare splits that can follow the conversation between Green Star and Brainless God.

Direct Hit! opens Human Movement with the hardcore banger “You Got What You Asked For.” While Direct Hit! has always been adept at the genre, usually throwing one or two screamers in per album, here they deliver on the intensity– with quick stabs of guitar, high tempo drums, and pissed-to-hell vocals. Immediately proceeding, in a moment of minor perfection, they switch gears into the opening of the next song, “Blood on Your Tongue,” with sugary sweet bell synth and pop punk melodies. It’s one of those tangible moments on the Direct Hit! side of Human Movement where you can see the fun the bands are having, and as the record spins, it becomes infectious– from the big melodies of “Open Your Mind,” the new classic “Shifting the Blame,” and their cover of Pears’ “You’re Boring.”

The latter deserves special attention, as one of the best parts of any split is hearing the bands cover each other songs. Direct Hit! attacks “You’re Boring” with so much gusto, you’d swear they were trying to claim it for their own. It stays pretty close to the original, with the biggest difference being some extra pop punk zeal on the chorus. To close out their side of the split, Direct Hit! strike straight hardcore again with “Nothing,” a fast shout-along track with an intense and dreamy bridge.

Pears open their half with “Hey There, Begonia.” It’s on the catchier side of their core sound, with the same fast moving riffs you’d expect and an interpolation of System of a Down’s “Chop Suey.” Again, Human Movement is about bands having fun, and they work it into the bones of their music.

“Mollusk’s Mouth” is a faster song with a lighting fast harmonized lyric section that caught my ear. It alludes to one of the best things about Pears– their creativity and ambition in punk rock is so often realized through the collective talent of their members. These guys can play, they can sing, and they can write songs like no other. Riffs fly, vocal rhythms change from hardcore spitting to soaring melodies, but it never leaves the realm of adult playtime. In “Misery Conquers the World” they incorporate “Let the Bodies Hit the Floor” with a chorus of children booing. Pears is the sound of goofing off.

Pears cover Direct Hit!’s “The World Is Ending” off Brainless God— well, kinda. What they do is actually a lot cooler. They meld in “Buried Alive,” the other hit from Brainless God as well as Masked Intruder’s “Heart-Shaped Guitar.” It’s surprising, weird, and hilarious, and shows Pears in all their glory– showing off and having a little fun. “Never Now” opens with some heavy-ass dissonance before transforming into the sort of thing the band is primarily known for: fast flying lyrics and a singalong chorus. It differentiates itself with the chugging breakdown, showing Pears once again swallowing up more genre influences like a fat and hungry punk rock anaconda.

Human Movement is the sort of the split you want to see released. How often do you get two high profile bands doing this sort of thing anymore? Not very often. Both Pears and Direct Hit! represent the finest of a certain kind of modern punk, established acts who continue to take risks and try and make their music as interesting as possible, all while playing in the chords and melody sandbox. Human Movement is a testament to catchy-punk devotees, a monument to all the wonderful things you can do with rhythm, melody, and words. But, it is also fun, plain and simple. Pears and Direct Hit! play well together, but when they compete, they both win.

Milwaukee-based, psychedelic-loving punk outfit, Direct Hit!, have been in the studio working on a new record. On Friday, the band Tweeted a picture of their drummer Danny Walkowiak behind his kit along with the message:

“We started making a new album tonight at Howl Street Recordings in Milwaukee with @mikeaar pushing faders. Can’t wait for you all to hear it.”

This year has been a busy one for the four-piece, earlier this month they released a split with label-mates in PEARS.

PEARS and Direct Hit!! had a chat with the folks over at New Noise Magazine today. They spoke about their lives, their music and the upcoming split Human Movement. They also covered each others songs; Direct Hit! played PEARS’ song “You’re Boring” while PEARS cover Direct Hit!’s “The World Is Ending (Sorta)”. You can give it a read and listen to the tracks here.

Fat Wreck newcomers and future heavyweights Direct Hit! and PEARS have broken convention and released a dual video for Direct HIt’s “Blood On My Tongue” and PEARS’ “Arduous Angle”, both tracks off the bands’ upcoming split “Human Movement.” It plays like a gory feature film and we highly recommend you check out the masterpiece below.

The two vocalists had this to say about the song/video:

“This is a weird video about two groups of people who hate each other, but recognize a common evil and fight against it together,” says Direct Hit’s Nick Woods. “On one side, you have this heroine who orchestrates a kidnapping and drugging to turn this smitten henchman into a weapon. And on the other, you have this kind of weird cleanup crew who paves the way for it to happen. In the end, the people at the top of the chain end up dead, and it’s the middleman tool who gets fucked over.”

“Part of this song is about being a kid who hears their parent fight,” says PEARS vocalist Zach Quinn. “Divorce for some is traumatic, for others, it is a lifesaver. Additionally, I think this is PEARS’ first song with a standard pop structure, which doesn’t happen all too often.”

Our friends at Punks in Vegas have put together a charity compilation for the UMC Foundation. They are Las Vegas’ only Level 1 trauma center and they don’t turn anybody away. The compilation features tracks by The Menzingers, Mercy Music, Direct Hit and more.

You can listen to and download Vegas Strong: A Benefit from Punks in Vegas below.

OMG! OMG! On November 3, Fat Wreck Chords will release “Human Movement”, a split album from Direct Hit and PEARS. This 12 track scorcher features five new songs from each band, plus one cover of their counterpart’s material. You can get your first taste today by streaming “Blood On Your Tongue” by Direct Hit, and “Ardous Angel” by PEARS below.

For more on the release, check out what front-man Nick Woods from Direct Hit, and Brian Pretus from PEARS had to say about joining forces:

Nick Woods: “We’re really proud of how this record turned out, not only because all the tunes on it are rippers, but because we got to collaborate on it with some of our best friends. Splits like these rarely work with everyone involved playing to the others’ strengths. I’m really glad the stars aligned here in a way where the whole thing came together as a unified release, from one of the coolest record labels in the biz right now.”

Brian Pretus: “We’ve been talking about doing this for a long time, since like one of our first tours, which was with Direct Hit. It’s pretty surreal that we finally got to make it happen, and I couldnt be happier with how both sides of this thing turned out.”

If you pre-order the album from iTunes or Bandcamp, you’ll get an instant download of a song from each band.

As if the main lineup and club show lineup of Punk Rock Bowling couldn’t get any more stacked, a new club show was just announced featuring PEARS, Direct Hit!, and Dying Scene favorites, Problem Daughter.

The show will take place at 10pm on May 27th in Las Vegas at Hogs N Heifers Saloon. The show will also serve as a benefit for Love Hope Strength Foundation.

Pop-punks Direct Hit! recently visited Live from The Rock Room and captured some sweet video footage in the process. “Do The Sick” is off of their 2016 album Wasted Mind, out on Fat Wreck Chords.I’m not sure what they’re putting in the cheese out there in the Midwest, but the music coming outta there recently has been fan-tast-ic, and Direct Hit! is no exception.

Milwaukee pop punks Direct Hit! have dropped a video for their song ‘Snickers or Reese’s’. The band are doing so to celebrate the re-release of their magnificent album ‘Domesplitter’, out via Fat Wreck Chords on April 14th. You can still put your pre-order in here.

Catch the video for ‘Snickers or Reese’s’ along with some US tour dates below.

Fat Wreck quartet Direct Hit! are streaming a cover they performed of the old hymn “There is a Fountain Filled With Blood”. Shot for The Milwaukee Record, fans can take a listen and enjoy the video over at the publication’s website.

Band Spotlight

Hailing from Lincoln, UK Nieviem is a newer skate punk band that has been tearing it up for a little over a year. Steadily releasing new songs, live recordings, and EPs, the band continues the trend with their second EP The Hope Is There. The EP is fast and heavy, borrowing from hardcore but still strongly entrenched in 90's skate punk. If that sounds up your alley, then give it a listen here.